TGIF
by GoTeam
Summary: Not a PWP anymore! Though an alternative version can be found at my site. Alex and Olivia find a connection, but a new case threatens everything.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **All characters are owned by someone else (i.e not me, Dick Wolf and NBC). Hopefully, no copyrights were breached in my making of this fic (I didn't mean to!) and I made no money doing this whatsoever. This is purely for my entertainment, instead of studying!This will also contain pretty adult material – which can be accessed at my site if you're old enough!

_Thud_.

2 more hours.

_Thud._

Olivia was mentally banging her head against a brick wall. Time was trickling past impossibly slowly and the last place she wanted to be stuck was the squad room. Always seeming to draw the short straw, Olivia was the only one left in a relatively empty building. Elliot had taken some time off and while she had spent most of the day behind her desk, Munch and Fin had been at court. Even Cragen had been largely absent, only emerging from his office to grab cups of coffee. Olivia wouldn't normally touch the toffee-coloured sludge with a barge-pole, but the lateness of the hour meant she had to resort to desperate measures. She knew that not so far away, Alex would be stuck in her office, going over one of her many open cases; she had to discipline herself not to abandon the open file before her and go and provide the ADA with some company. Hell, what was she doing? She re-read her last sentence and discovered it didn't actually make much sense – rather, it consisted mainly of absent-minded doodles. How long had she been day-dreaming? The clock read 10.15; 20 minutes had gone since she last checked the clock. The dark-haired detective hated when that happened, and it always happened when she thought about Alex.

_Hm, now there's a good way to make the time pass..._

Olivia lost her breath every time Alex walked into a room – her presence produced a very physical effect, like being punched in the stomach, and the normally stoic detective became nervous whenever she heard the sound of the attorney's heels on the grubby linoleum. She could almost smell the scent of the beautiful blonde's perfume...

A hand landed on her shoulder. Olivia fought the urge to scream, instead spinning round to confront the intruder.

**Ah**. Olivia's breath left her body all at once. No wonder she had smelt Alex's perfume – the attorney was standing right behind her, though her proximity would have been a great deal more appreciated if Olivia hadn't been scared half to death.

"Hey, Liv...are you ok? I assumed you'd hear me coming, I didn't mean to surprise you like that!"

Olivia cursed herself mentally for getting so caught up in her dreams. She couldn't help but smile, however – she was always glad to see Alex, and especially liked the way her nickname sounded on Alex's lips.

_So soft and pink and...perfect_

Damnit! She'd been staring again! Blushing even more, Olivia managed to strangle out a 'hello' of some description. She smiled widely, trying to calm her thudding heart.

"Not that I'm not glad to see you, Alex, but what are you doing here? Munch and Fin left ages ago but I think Cragen's probably fallen asleep at his desk."

"Why, detective, what makes you think I came to see them? I had a hunch you'd be working late, and thought you might like some company. You can only stare at four walls for so long, you know."

Alex smiled her lopsided grin, the one which set Olivia's heart pounding once more.

_If I didn't know better, I'd swear she was doing this on purpose..._

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_For a detective, she really can be thick sometimes._

Alex chewed the end of her red pen as she pretended to work. She'd been dropping hints to Olivia but achieved no success so far – or at least, she didn't think so. Then again, she'd only been linked to SVU for a couple of months and Olivia was so damned hard to read...

Daydreaming about Olivia Benson was Alex's favourite way of avoiding work, especially on a Friday night, when to all intents and purposes, she should have finished for the weekend. This was never the case, however; neither was it for her favourite detective. The nature of their jobs ensured no 9-5 peace of mind, and Alex was pretty sure that Olivia would be in the squad room mulling over paperwork.

_Screw this._

Alex couldn't resist sneaking up on Olivia; it was obvious the detective's mind was elsewhere. It looked like even Cragen had gone home, leaving Olivia on the later shift for the evening. Alex didn't think Olivia was reclusive on purpose, just too attached to her job. The blonde sighed mentally as she saw the well-muscled shoulders, ruffled hair and half-crumpled leather jacket on the back of Olivia's chair; God, she loved that jacket. Judging from the detective's posture, she was just as tired as Alex was. Almost instinctively, she reached out a hand to smooth out the tension in Olivia's back, causing the detective to jump, and Alex to almost drop the coffees she was holding in her right hand.

Feeling guilty for surprising Olivia so much, Alex apologised before realising the detective's face was turning a delicate shade of pink.

_What **was **__she just thinking about?_

Alex tried her cutest smile and got her answer.

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Finally, it was midnight. Time really had passed quickly since Alex had shown up and Olivia almost didn't want to leave. The coffee Alex had brought ensured she wasn't going to get sleep anytime soon, and the attorney seemed just as buzzed as she did. Alex was still relatively new around the place, but they seemed to have an immediate connection; she hoped the blonde felt it too. Moving quickly past matters of work, they talked about anything and everything that came to mind – the biggest disagreement was over which Krispy Kreme doughnut was the best; even in terms of doughnuts, Alex had the most sophisticated taste: glazed blueberry compared to Liv's candy sprinkles.

As they walked out into the busy street, Olivia decided on a course of action. Pulling the blonde by the arm, she started walking in the direction of her favourite bar.

"Wha-" Alex started.

"Trust me on this, I think you'll like it." Olivia smiled at Alex, keeping her hand where it was, and leading the way. One thing they had found in common was a love for cocktails and Olivia knew just the place. Upon seeing the bar, Alex let out a gasp. "It's like you read my mind!"

"I thought we could both do with something a little stronger to drink," said Olivia. "An ex showed me this place a year or so ago; we practically lived in here once we'd tried their 'Cuppa Joe' – not that I think we need any more coffee right now!" Olivia was feeling buzzed – she was amazed what effect the lawyer's company was having on her. Alex giggled and the detective felt an odd warm feeling in the pit of her stomach. She had never really seen Alex so carefree and happy. Normally completely self-conscious, particularly with people she barely knew, she just couldn't help herself laughing too, happy that Alex was happy. She felt safe with Alex, and hoped the other woman felt the same way. Mentally berating herself for thinking too much into the matter, she decided to make the most of Alex's company, hoping it wouldn't be in short supply from now on.

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Alex was feeling exactly the same, soaking up the detective's presence as the evening passed. She rarely felt like this with anyone; she wasn't the trusting type, particularly after the direction some of her relationships had taken, but she felt she could confide in the woman before her. Taking a large swallow of her drink, she looked into Olivia's eyes once more.

"We should do this more often, you know", she said. "I rarely get to spend more than five minutes with you at work, and it'd be nice to get to know you better. That's why I came over tonight."

Alex made the statement sound innocent, but hoped the detective would interpret it on more than one, superficial level. Sure, they barely saw each other, but every time they met, Olivia would make the interaction physical, increasing their proximity, touching Alex on the arm or the shoulder. Maybe it was just the type of person Olivia was, but Alex also noticed the way the detective would breathe in her perfume and she would, every so often, catch Olivia surreptitiously checking her out. Of course, the attorney was partly to blame – her choice of clothing was often strategic – but she let it lie at coincidence. Like, coincidence Olivia would check out her ass as she walked out of the room. Alex didn't have eyes on the back of her head, but she could almost feel the intensity of Olivia's gaze on her retreating back, as if burning into her. That was another thing she'd noticed – how Olivia was so _warm_ every time they were close. Heat seemed to radiate off her toned body, invading Alex's pores; it was almost suffocating. The things Olivia seemed to notice about Alex were reciprocal – the smell of the detective's shampoo was what Alex found most intoxicating, particularly mixed with the leather of her jacket. Alex just hoped Olivia would put her well-honed skills to use and put two and two together.

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Olivia couldn't believe her ears.

_Is she asking me out?_

She knew they'd been barely able to keep their eyes off one another when they first met; even this evening, Olivia felt she was drowing in the Alex's open gaze. It was intimate in a way she couldn't quite describe, as if she were laying herself bare; normally closeted and protected by her strong emotional walls, Olivia knew she could appear cold and distant at times. However, she had opened herself up to Alex almost instinctively and was glad she had done so – without stating her feelings, she was pretty sure she had made them known and now she knew Alex reciprocated those feelings. Her tongue tied as she tried to reply, nerves cluttering her thoughts, and instead she reached for the blonde's hand, before she could chicken out. Taking a deep breath, she tried again.

"Alex, I was wondering-"

"Yes," Alex almost purred in answer, squeezing Olivia's hand gently and intertwining their fingers.

Olivia had never felt so relieved in her life. Despite her gut instinct, there was still the risk of rejection...but the detective had decided to take that risk.

_Life is just a matter of being in the right place at the right time; following what you believe in and taking risks. After all, wouldn't life be boring if it weren't for the off-chance that you might be wrong?_

Fuelled by adrenaline, Olivia closened the gap between them, invading Alex's personal space almost as if she were trying to breathe the other woman in. She could feel Alex's slim fingers wrap around her wrist, pulling her closer, before whispering in her ear, "Let's get out of here."

Olivia was almost disappointed, before realising what Alex was implying. Getting rather unsteadily to her feet, she threw some bills on the bar, grabbing her jacket and Alex and heading for the door.

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Alex almost pounced on the detective as they left the bar; rain was falling heavily, soaking them both, but she didn't even notice. Olivia's wet hair dripped onto her cheek as she captured the detective's lips with her own, and dimly she felt the brunette's hands support her back as she almost staggered. Breaking away for a second, she hailed a cab, frustrated that her apartment was so far away; hell, anything was too far right now. The only place she wanted to be right now was somewhere dry and warm, and Olivia wasn't helping her composure, keeping the warm weight of her hand on Alex's thigh the entire 3 minute ride to her block. After paying the driver, she led Olivia out and up the stairs. Neither were laughing anymore – the gravity of the situation was weighing heavily on both women's minds, but no words were needed to express what each other was feeling. Alex could see her own emotions reflected in Olivia's eyes and she had never seen the detective look so vulnerable. Her heart skipped a beat as she realised that she was finally going to make love to the beautiful woman before her.

Almost stumbling across the threshold, she looked into those intense brown eyes.

"We're going to take this slow, right?" She didn't want their first time to be anything rushed or regretted. Olivia mutely nodded, taking off her jacket and laying it gently on a nearby armchair. Then, she reached for Alex's wet coat, sliding her fingers up the lapels and smoothly slipping it off the lawyer's slim shoulders. Alex's shirt was clinging to her skin, and she could feel the touch of Olivia's fingers as if multiplied. She shivered a little, in response, and realised that Olivia, too, was shaking.

Forcing her voice to be steady, she said,

"Mind if we cut short the guided tour?"

Without waiting for a response, Alex kicked off her shoes and walked slowly down the hall.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **All characters are owned by someone else (i.e not me, Dick Wolf and NBC). Hopefully, no copyrights were breached in my making of this fic (I didn't mean to!) and I made no money doing this whatsoever. This is purely for my entertainment, instead of studying!This will probably also contain adult material...kids, look away!

Olivia gradually became aware of the sounds of traffic. Winter sun had filled the room, making it pure white, clean, hopeful. For a split second, she forgot where she was; registering the soft warm skin beneath her, she smiled at herself for forgetting. Alex's arms were curled around her waist, her chin on top of Olivia's head; the blonde was snoring lightly, and Olivia couldn't believe her luck. She felt warm and happy, something she hadn't felt in a long time, and it was entirely due to the woman beneath her. Sudden memories of the previous night made her groan as she felt strained muscles in her legs; her slight movement caused Alex to stir, and Olivia whispered a 'Good morning' into the attorney's ear. Alex's eyes flickered open, wincing at the light, but there was a smile on her face nonetheless. Olivia rolled onto her side, blocking the sun out and turning Alex to face her. Linking their fingers together, she kissed Alex's knuckles, smoothing her fingers with a callused thumb.

"What a way to wake up," Alex breathed, pulling the sheet off her lover.

"Hey!" Olivia mock-complained, "it's cold out!"

"Well, I'll just have to warm you up." Alex licked her lips and fixed Olivia with an unmistakeable stare. The detective gulped.

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Elliot was pissed off. Not only was he back at work early, he'd managed to get coffee down his shirt already. Another Monday, another sadistic criminal; the body of a teenager, dismembered and left to rot in a back alley. He was waiting for news from Warner when Olivia sauntered in, smiling absent-mindedly as she draped her jacket over the back of her chair.

"Hey, El...what are you doing back so early?" she asked her partner, only now realising she wasn't alone. The smile was still in her eyes, but her face was all seriousness. Elliot couldn't help but smile back – seeing his partner smile these days was a rarity.

"Couldn't keep me away," he shrugged, suddenly intrigued by Olivia's demeanour. He hated that what he would tell her next would more than likely end that good humour. Already, her eyes were scanning the photographs on his desk, grimacing at the stark reality with which they presented their subject. Olivia briefly closed her eyes, sickened by what she had seen.

"What a way to start a Monday," she sighed, sitting heavily in her chair. "How old was she?"

"Sixteen." Elliot tried to keep his emotions in check, but he couldn't help but think of his own daughters and how he would feel if this happened to one of them. He knew it made Olivia just as mad as it made him; they often had to keep each other in check. "Munch and Fin are at the crime scene; I figured you wouldn't fancy a trip out there." He smiled grimly, closing the folder before him, wishing he could just as easily wipe the images from his mind.

"The ME's getting back to us on what happened," he said, knowing what Olivia was about to ask. Olivia nodded, staring at the mess on her desk. There was a pile of work left over from when she had left Friday night, but it was all irrelevant now. Rising, she took hold of her jacket, and Elliot followed her out. The euphoria that had lasted all weekend was now pushed to the back of her mind, its loss only making Olivia's mood darker. The victim's identity had been relatively easy to discover, and her home was nearby. The detectives were thankful of the walk; Olivia felt the winter air burning her lungs and felt extremely blessed to be alive. She knew that someone, somewhere in this cold, cruel city loved her in a way she would let no-one else; someone who had little contact with this seedy, vicious side of life and whom she would protect from it, no matter the cost. She began to see how Elliot felt so protective of his daughters. Their victim was somebody's daughter; it was this somebody they were visiting just now, and Olivia felt guilty. She always did, no matter how illogical it seemed; it was her duty to protect people, put them behind bars, and she had let yet another person down. Elliot squeezed her shoulder and she realised how much they communicated without saying anything at all.

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Later that evening, her arms curled around the blonde in her lap, Olivia couldn't shake off the dull feeling in the pit of her stomach. She was more than happy to see Alex, but she had forgotten how cases could affect her – and her relationships.

"Penny for 'em" Alex murmured, looking into Olivia's eyes with concern. Olivia felt even more guilty, not wanting to ignore Alex, and she sighed, closing her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Alex. This probably isn't what you need right now, huh?" Olivia's brow furrowed as she tried to forget the images of the day. The grieving mother, begging her to justify her daughter's death; the photographs of the crime scene; Warner, explaining how the young girl, Katie, had been raped before each of her fingers were sadistically cut off. The fact that such a sociopath even existed made her feel ill. She felt the tension begin to ease as Alex kissed her forehead.

"I don't know how you can cope with your job sometimes," the attorney said, placing her hand on Olivia's chest and feeling the heart of her lover beat slow and steady. It was reassuring, safe. "All I know is, I've never known anyone as passionate as you; I'm proud of you, you're a much stronger person than I could ever be."

Olivia felt her eyes begin to prick and tears threatened. "To hear _you_ say that is the greatest compliment I've ever received," she said, a tear escaping as she looked at her lover. Alex smiled and reached for the detective, wrapping her in a hug as she tried to soothe the wraught woman in her arms. She didn't say anything; she didn't even need to ask what had gotten Olivia so upset, as she'd seen Cragen earlier that day and he'd admitted that even he was shocked by the brutality of their main case. For a man of Cragen's experience, it must have been pretty extraordinary. Sure, Alex saw the occasional photograph and murder weapons in court, but she didn't have to deal with the people involved 24/7. She knew Olivia often gave out her number, in case victims wanted someone to confide in. She was just that kind of person. Alex was roused from her musings when Olivia murmured something against her shoulder.

"I love you, Alex." Olivia was looking at her now, vulnerable, open and red-eyed, and Alex felt her heart melt.

"I think it could safely be said that I'm completely, utterly and totally in love with you, Olivia Benson." They looked at one another for what seemed like an eternity, before Alex sealed the deal with her lips.


End file.
